Securing device, particularly for sports shoes

Abstract: Securing device (1) for securing two flap portions (5,6) of a sports shoe, including: a lever arm (7) with a pair of wings (8a,8b) interconnected by a crossbase (16) at one end thereof and provided with pivots (10a,10b) at another end thereof; a traction element (12) connectable at one end to a first flap (5) and pivotally connected at another end to a middle zone (11a,11b) of the wings of the lever arm; and a baseplate (17) connectable to a second plate (6) and provided with: a pair of protruding curved teeth (23a,23b) at one end of the baseplate for pivotally accommodating the pivots (10a,10b) of the lever arm; and a quadrangular protruding lug (28) at another end of the baseplate for catching between the crossbase (16) and wings (8a,8b) of the lever arm in a closed position thereof. A pair of seats (30a,30b) are provided in the upper surface of the baseplate (17) to the sides of the lug (28), and the lever arm is provided with a pair of shoulders (14a,14b) which engage in the seats (30a,30b) when the lever arm is closed. The curved teeth (23a,23b) of the baseplate also include first inclined planes (24a,24b) which engage, when the lever arm is closed, with complementary inclined planes (25a,25b) defined on the lower surface of the lever arm (7).

Description: The present invention relates to a securing device particularly usable in sports shoes such as ski boots, ice skates or roller skates. Many kinds of levers used to secure the quarters, the shell or the uppers of sports shoes, such as for example ski boots or ice skates and roller skates, are currently known. U.S. patent No. 3,295,177 discloses a securing lever for a boot comprising a combination of features as included in the precharacterising portion of the appended claim 1, and having in particular a lever arm that is provided with a set of teeth in a downward region and is arrangeable, at one end, at a shoulder associated with the upper and protruding along a plane which is inclined with respect to said upper. The lever arm is connected to a ring for securing a flap by means of an adapted metallic plate that keeps the ring facing the set of teeth. This embodiment, in addition to requiring various steps for the assembly of the components of the lever which increase its production costs, does not have optimum impact-resistance characteristics, especially against impacts occurring along an axis which is transverse to said lever arm. Such impacts can in fact disengage the lever arm from the shoulder, consequently eliminating the securing action, or break the components. Swiss patent no. 596,784 discloses a ski boot provided with levers that comprise a lever arm having, in a downward region, a set of teeth with which a metal ring interacts; at its other end, said ring interacts with the boot flap to be secured or with quarter securing bands. The lever arm has, at one end, a pair of tabs between which a pivot for pivoting the lever arm is located; said pivot is arrangeable at an adapted seat formed on an elastically deformable tab. Even this embodiment has drawbacks, since any impact affecting the lever arm axially may cause the pivot to leave its seat, thus causing disengagement or breakage. The possible use of a screw to fix the elastically deformable tab would only partially solve the problem, since it would create a weaker region that might give way if stressed repeatedly. Furthermore, the use of a screw locks the lever arm in its position. Similarly, impacts affecting the lever arm transversely to its longitudinal median axis might entail the breakage of the elastically deformable tab, thus eliminating the securing action. French patent no. 2,410,449 discloses an improved fixing device for ski boots and the like, which comprises a lever arm provided with a set of teeth in a downward region and, on the side opposite to the side gripped by the user, a wedge-like element which interacts with a complementarily shaped seat formed at a tab protruding from the shell. As an alternative it is possible to use a pivot. These embodiments have some of the drawbacks described above, since there is still the problem that they are unable to optimally withstand impacts affecting the lever arm, as said arm can disengage from the tab and thus release the shell or the quarters. It is to be noted that during sports practice these impacts, with the snow or with the poles placed along the racing slope in the case of skiing, or with the ground or the surface of the track in the case of skating, can be very frequent. A principal object of the present invention is therefore to eliminate the drawbacks described above in known types, providing a lever that allows to achieve optimum securing of the shell or of at least one quarter or of the upper of a sports shoe and has, at the same time, optimum characteristics of resistance to accidental impacts. Within the scope of the above object, another important object is to provide a lever that allows to withstand in an optimum manner impacts occurring both along a longitudinal axis and along a transverse axis with respect to said lever. Another important object is to provide a lever which is reliable and safe in use, structurally simple, and easy to industrialize. Another important object is to provide a lever which allows rapid and easy securing and release. Another object is to provide a lever which has low manufacturing costs. With these and other objects in view, there is provided, according to the present invention, a securing device, particularly for sports shoes, as defined in the appended claims. Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a particular embodiment thereof, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a lateral perspective view of the lever applied to a shoe; figure 2 is a top view of the lever; figure 3 is a bottom view of the lever; figure 4 is a sectional view, taken along the plane IV-IV of figure 2; figure 5 is a sectional view, taken along the plane V-V of figure 4; figure 6 is a sectional view, taken along the plane VI-VI of figure 4; figure 7 is a side view of the baseplate associated with the shoe; figure 8 is a top view of the baseplate; figure 9 is a sectional view, taken along the plane IX-IX of figure 8. With reference to the above figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates the securing device particularly usable for sports shoes 2, such as for example ski boots or skates which comprise a shell 3 having a front opening 4 and accordingly a first flap 5 and a second flap 6 to be mutually secured. As an alternative, the lever could be used to secure a quarter or quarters associated with the shell or otherwise secure the flaps of an upper. The lever 1 comprises a lever arm 7 constituted by a single U-shaped body in which the tips of the wings 8a and 8b have a curved and preferably half-cylindrical shape. Thinner regions or recesses 9a and 9b are formed at the mutually facing surfaces of the tips of the wings 8a and 8b; a pair of cylindrical pivots 10a and 10b protrudes, coaxially to said tips, at said recesses, said pivots being approximately as high as the recesses are deep and having the same axis. A pair of identical first holes 11a and 11b is furthermore formed between the wings 8a and 8b of the lever arm 7 in a region adjacent to the pair of pivots 10a and 10b; said holes have the same axis, and a pivot for pivoting one end of a traction element, such as for example a toothed band 12, is arrangeable between said holes. The other end of the traction element 12 is associable with the first flap 5, for example by known means such as rivets. A pair of mutually parallel first shoulders 14a and 14b furthermore protrudes at the wings 8a and 8b at right angles thereto starting from their lower surface 13; anti-release safety means, constituted by first lugs 15, advantageously protrude from the facing surfaces of said shoulders. The first shoulders 14a and 14b protrude in the interspace between the pair of first holes 11a and 11b and the base 16 connecting the wings 8a and 8b and opposite to the end provided with the pair of pivots 10a and 10b. Said pivots constitute the first means for the temporary pivoting of the lever arm, which interact with engagement means formed on a baseplate 17 associable for example at the second flap 6; the end of the band 12 that does not interact with the lever arm 7 is associable at the first flap 5. A raised portion 19 protrudes from the lower surface 18 of the baseplate 17, and its height is approximately equal to the thickness of the second flap 6; a first tab 20 is associated with said raised portion and has the purpose of keeping the baseplate associated with the first flap once it has been inserted at an adapted opening 21 formed on said flap. A pair of curved teeth 23a and 23b protrudes from the upper surface 22 of the baseplate 17 at one end; said teeth have an essentially S-shaped cross-section, are suitable to accommodate the pair of pivots 10a and 10b, and form first inclined planes 24a and 24b, for blending with the outer surface 22, which are suitable to abut against complementarily shaped second inclined planes 25a and 25b formed below the lever arm 7 proximate to the pair of pivots 10a and 10b. A pair of second curved shoulders 27a and 27b is furthermore formed on the baseplate 17; said shoulders are shaped complementarily to the ends of the wings 8a and 8b of the lever arm 7, which are also curved. Thus, the location of the pair of pivots 10a and 10b at the pair of curved teeth 23a and 23b is such as to force the tips of the wings 8a and 8b to interact with the second pair of shoulders 27a and 27b which are shaped complementarily thereto. A second lug 28 furthermore protrudes from the upper surface 22 of the baseplate 17 on the side opposite to the pair of curved teeth 23a and 23b and at the interspace between them; said second lug is approximately as wide as the interspace between the wings 8a and 8b of the lever arm 7, and its length is such that it interacts at one end with the inner side 29 of the base 16 when the lever arm is closed. A pair of seats 30a and 30b is formed laterally to the second lug 28 on the upper surface 22 of the baseplate 17; when the lever arm is closed, said seats accommodate the pair of first shoulders 14a and 14b in which the first lugs 15 advantageously interact with a snap action at adapted recesses 31 formed transversely to the second lug 28. The second lug 28 constitutes the third means for withstanding lateral stresses. Use of the lever is thus as follows: once the end of the band 12 has been pivoted between the wings 8a and 8b of the lever arm 7, and once the other end of the band has been rigidly coupled to the second flap to be tightened, the user merely has to arrange the pair of pivots 10a and 10b at the pair of curved teeth 23a and 23b, rotating the lever arm so that it secures the band. This operation is facilitated by the shape of the pair of pivots 10a and 10b, of the pair of curved teeth 23a and 23b, of the ends of the wings 8a and 8b and of the pair of second shoulders 27a and 27b. Once the lever arm has been secured, optimum resistance to stresses imparted along the longitudinal axis of said arm is achieved, since the base 16 interacts with one end of the second lug 28, the pair of pivots 10a and 10b interacts with the pair of curved teeth 23a and 23b, and the tips of the wings 8a and 8b interact with the complementarily shaped pair of second shoulders 27a and 27b protruding from the baseplate; the stress withstood by the pair of pivots 10a and 10b is thus considerably reduced, since these elements cooperate to distribute the stresses. The lever furthermore optimally absorbs any stresses imparted transversely to the lever arm 7, since by virtue of the presence of the second lug 28 located proximate to the ends of the lever arm that is opposite to the one provided with the pair of pivots 10a and 10b, an optimum impact absorption that does not affect the pair of pivots 10a and 10b is achieved. It has thus been observed that the invention has achieved the intended aim and objects, a lever having been obtained which allows to optimally absorb any impacts due to accidental contacts of the lever arm, for example with the snow, ice or ground on which the sport is practiced even if said lever arm is subjected either to axial or transverse forces. The securing device according to the invention is furthermore structurally very simple and easy to industrialize. The materials and the dimensions that constitute the individual components of the structure may naturally be the most pertinent according to the specific requirements. Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the signs do not have any limiting effect on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims: Securing device (1), particularly for sports shoes (2) such as ski boots or skates, comprising a lever arm (7) to which the end of a traction element (12) is idly pivoted, the other end of said traction element being connectable with said shoe, said lever arm having first means (10a,10b) for temporary pivoting to engagement means (23a,23b) provided on a baseplate (17) that is associable with said shoe, the securing device being characterised in that said lever arm (7) is U-shaped with a pair of wings (8a,8b) and a base (16) interconnected between the two wings, and there is further provided on the lever arm second means interacting with the base plate (17) for withstanding axial stresses, and third means for withstanding lateral stresses comprising a lug element (28) protruding from the outer surface of the base plate (17) and being approximately as wide as the interspace between said wings (8a,8b). Securing device according to claim 1, associable with a sports shoe comprising a shell (3) which has a front opening and thus a first flap (5) and a second flap (6) to be secured or at least one quarter or upper to be secured, said lever arm (7) comprising a single U-shaped body in which the tips of the wings (8a,8b) have a curved and preferably a half-cylindrical shape. Securing device according to claim 2, characterized in that thinner portions or recesses (9a,9b) are formed at the mutually facing surfaces of said ends of said wings, a pair of cylindrical pivots (10a,10b) protruding at said recesses coaxially to said tips, said pivots being approximately as high as said recesses are deep, and having the same axis as said recesses. Securing device according to claim 3, characterized in that a pair of first identical and coaxial holes (11a,11b) is formed between said wings of said lever arm in a region adjacent to said pair of pivots, a pivot being arrangeable between said first holes for pivoting an end of said traction element. Securing device according to claim 2, characterized in that a pair of first mutually parallel shoulders (14a,14b) protrudes at said wings at right angles thereto starting from their lower surface (13), anti-release safety means, constituted by first lugs (15), advantageously protruding from the facing surfaces of said shoulders. Securing device according to claim 5, characterized in that said first shoulders protrude in the interspace between said pair of first holes and a base (16) that connects said wings and is opposite to the end provided with said pair of pivots. Securing device according to claim 3, characterized in that said pair of pivots constitutes said first means for the temporary pivoting of said lever arm, which interact with engagement means (23a,23b) provided on the baseplate associable at said second flap (6), the end of said traction element that does not interact with said lever arm being associable at said first flap (5). Securing device according to claim 1, characterized in that a raised portion (19) protrudes from the lower surface (18) of said baseplate and is approximately as high as said second flap is thick, and in that a first tab (20) is associated with said raised portion for keeping the baseplate associated with said first flap once it has been inserted at an adapted opening formed on said first flap. Securing device according to claim 3, characterized in that a pair of curved teeth (23a,23b) protrudes at one end from the outer surface of said baseplate, said curved teeth having a substantially S-shaped cross-section and being suitable to accommodate said pair of pivots. Securing device according to claim 9, characterized in that said pair of curved teeth forms first inclined planes (24a,24b) for blending with said outer surface which are suitable to abut against complementarily shaped second inclined planes (25a,25b) formed below said lever arm proximate to said pair of pivots. Securing device according to claim 2, characterized in that a pair of second curved shoulders (27a,27b) is formed on said baseplate, said shoulders being shaped complementarily to the ends of said wings of said lever arm, which are also curved. Securing device according to claim 11, characterized in that the placement of said pair of pivots at said pair of curved teeth forces said tips of said wings to interact with said second pair of shoulders which are shaped complementarily to said tips. Securing device according to claim 9, characterized in that said lug element (28) protrudes from said outer surface of said baseplate on the side opposite to said pair of curved teeth and at the interspace formed between said teeth, said lug element having such a length as to interact at one end with the inner side of said base (16) when the lever arm is closed. Securing device according to claim 13, characterized in that a pair of seats (30a,30b) is formed laterally to said lug element on the outer surface of said baseplate, said seats accommodating, when the lever arm is closed, said pair of first shoulders (14a,14b), wherein advantageously said first lugs interact with a snap action at adapted recesses (31) formed transversely to said lug element. Securing device according to claim 14, characterized in that said lug element constitutes third means for withstanding lateral stresses.

Inventors: MIOTTO ONORIO, MIOTTO, ONORIO
Applicants: AM SRL, AM S.R.L.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: A43C11
IPC codes: A43B5, A43C11